Bole-supporting device



July 7, 1959 w. M. APPLEGATE ,3

' BOLE-SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed- Oct. 29. 1954 IN V EN TOR. 144447-51? N. In! are BY Arr-cane Y5 "BOLE-SUPPORTING'DEVICE Walter Apple gate, Sharon, Pa. applies-bu October 29, 1954, seam No. 465,599 1 01mm. (Cl. 248-44 This invention relates to theartfof devic'es'for supporting in upright position a bole, as for instance a Christmas tree, and is aniiriproveiiint upon'the form of device shown in'my co-pendingapplicatioir Serial No. 3283129, filed December-29, 1952, now ratm No. 2,786,641, A s notedin the above co-pendin'g' 'application,' the present day sil'pports for Ghristmastre'es are rather'coniplicated in both structure 'and'manner of" operation and not altogether 's'atisfactoryw' As inthe above co-pendiiig application, so here also the supporting means for the bole includes a pin orthe likeithat is insertedintoitslower end; and in the present case his i'ny object to'devise such'a-supportirig means with a nni't'r'e'rsal' means of connection between the lower end of the pin or the like and the base upon which it is supported so as to be able to compensate for any misalignment of the pin or the like with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bole.

More specifically, one object of my present invention is to provide a swivel connection between the lower end of the pin or the like and the base, together with means for securing the same in adjusted position so as to be able to obtain truly vertical position for the bole in any given case.

Another object is to provide such a device with means aifording extended supporting engagement with the bottom of the bole so as to permit the use of a pin or the like of comparatively small diameter.

A more specific object is to devise such a supporting means in which the pin or the like is in the form of a screw which may be inserted by the user into the lower end of the bole and which has its lower end provided with a ball that is adapted for adjustable engagement within a socket upon the base of the device.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claim when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a side view of my present form of device, partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the three-ridge plate upon which the bottom end of the hole is adapted to rest.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in detail, it will be seen that I have here adopted the same form of folding leg structure as in my above-noted co-pending application and reference may be had to said application for a fuller understanding of this particular leg structure, it being understood that my present improvement is not restricted to the use of this particular leg structure.

Upon the underside of the base 1 there is rigidly affixed the leg 2; and the legs 3 and 4 are pivoted to the base 1 at the points 5 and 6, respectively, and have aper tures adapted for releasable frictional engagement with 2,893,668 Patented ul 7, 1959 the knobs 7 and 8,ire spectively, upon the underside of thelbase 1, so as to hold these two legs in position.

When in use, the legs 2 3 and {extend in a triangularinclin e dmanner and the apertures in the legs 3 and '4 will'eng age the knobs 7 and 8, respectively. When not in use, the legs '3 and4 may be released and turned so as to occupy substantially parallel arrangement, as indicatedby dotted linesin Fig. 2 of the present drawing.

ilt is tob'e'noted that the base 1 is supported by the "inclined legs in an elevated position above the floor and this clearance is utilized in a manner to be'hereinafter 'expl airied. n

Thebase' l has a centrally lccated upwardly extending socket portion 9 which has an inwardly projecting shoulder 9 at the ripper endth ereof and which'has "a' screw- 'tHrie acledopening at theflower :endthereof, accessible thibiigh a registering "aperture in the base '1. Within this sbcket there is the balllltl'on the lower-end of the w rrierr b erfll which isfadapted for irisertionintothe latter end or the bole,'la s for instance aChristnias tree, illustrated 'by reference letter B. This sc re"w,' c )f suitable size, may be inserted by the user into the bottom the hole and maybe I adjusted angularly Within ook *9 so as t'o ensure truly vertical position for bole, nd'thefscrewniembe'r 11 may then, be secured ion'by rneans'of'the screw 'plug'12. Thatis, FWP e Zin JY' be 10 s d as 'r 'an rtr' adjustment of th'escr ew member 11 to the proper position and then tightened so as to effect engagement of the ball 10 against the shoulder 9a for holding the screw member 11 in such position.

The shank of the screw 11 extends through the center of and has aifixed thereto the bottom of a well 13 for containing water for the bole supported therein. The bottom of the well 13 has provided within and at the center of the same the apertured spherical projection 14 upon which is adapted to engage the lower surface of the three-ridge resilient bearing plate 15 which is formed upwardly in such manner as to provide three substantially equi-spaced ridges 15a, 15b and 15c for engagement with the bottom end of the Christmas tree or other bole B. This cupped plate 15 may be of greater diameter than that of the bottom end of the bole or at least of sufiicient diameter to provide an increased bearing surface engagement therefor instead of relying entirely upon the comparatively small diameter of the screw 11. The edge of the plate 15 will be rounded at the ends of the ribs or ridges 15a, 15b and so as not to dig into the end of the bole in case the diameter of the plate 15 is less than that of the bottom end of the hole B. Thus, with this arrangement, I am enabled to employ a screw 11 of less diameter than would otherwise be possible and, in this way, the insertion of the screw by the user into the bole is greatly facilitated.

With the parts in position, as indicated in the present drawing, the bole may be turned downwardly about the screw 11 until its bottom end firmly engages the resilient plate 15; and, in this way, there may be efliected secure resilient engagement between the bottom of the bole B and the plate 15 which, in turn, is forced against the upwardly extending projection 14 in the well 13. Thus the bole is firmly engaged upon the screw member 11; and the effective engagement, as just described, is pos sible even though the bottom end of the bole might not be altogether smooth or regular.

Now, in case the screw 11 might not have been inserted into the bole along or parallel to its longitudinal axis or if, for any reason, it may be desired to change the angle of the bole so as to obtain the best possible upright position for the same, having regard for any irregularities in the shape of the bole and the form of its bottom end,

this may be accomplished by adjustment of the ball 10 in its socket, as described; and I have provided the outwardly extending lever arms 16 upon the screw plug 12 so as to render the same more accessible. Then, with the plug 12 in loosened condition, the screw 11 may be angularly adjusted to the desired position and then secured in such position by turning the arm 16 so as to tighten the screw plug 12 against the ball 10 which in turn is forced against the shoulder 9a of the socket portion 9. Also, withthe screw plug 12 loosened, the tree on the screw 11 may be turned to the position that will show the same to its best possible advantage, that is without disturbing the engagement of the bottom end of the tree with the three-ridge plate 15, and then the screw plug 12 may then be tightened. It is to be noted that the inclined arrangement of the legs 2, 3 and 4 provides sutficient clearance between the base and the floor or other supporting surface for the arms 16 by which to turn the screw plug 12.

It is to be understood that the form and size of the projection 11, which is here shown as a screw of comparatively small size, might be varied and there might be various other modifications of the present device Without departing from the spirit of my invention as herein set forth and claimed, the present form of disclosure being merely for the purpose of illustration.

What I claim is:

A holder for a bole, comprising a base having a central opening therethrough and having spaced elevating legs adapted to rest upon the floor, a socket member affixed to and extending upwardly from said base and being located over said central opening so as to be open through said base, an upward projection adapted for sup- 4 1 porting engagement with the lower end of a hole, said upwardprojec'tion having its lower end provided with a ball within saidsocket member for cooperation therewith, rotatable means extending upwardly through the opening in said base and into said socket member for effecting securing engagement of said ball within said socket member so as to constitute a means for varying the angle of said projection with respect to said base, said upward projection being provided co-axially thereabout at a point above said socket with an upwardly exposed spherical surface portion and a co-axially upturned plate, with an upper concave surface, in centering engagement upon said spherical surface, said plate being of a diameter substantially greater than that of said upward projection and being adapted for engagement be tween the lower end of the hole and said spherical surface upon engagement of said upward projection within the bole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 630,221 Hayes Aug. 1, 1899 654,051 Brown et a1 July 17, 1900 684,451 Mowry Oct. 15, 1901 1,421,340 Zelazo June 27, 1922 1,579,275 Zeigler Apr, 6, 1926 2,419,183 Womack Apr. 15, 1947 2,543,849 Hendrickson Mar. 6, 1951 2,548,351 Coombs Apr. 10, 1951 2,548,659 Epprecht Apr. 10, 1951 2,655,331 Merritt Oct. 13, 1953 2,746,700 Barbera May 22, 1956 

